In the process and apparatus for making plastic coated, composite containers, such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,968, a manufactured glass bottle is loaded onto a conveyor and transported through a pre-heat apparatus whereat the temperature of the bottle is increased to 175.degree.-300.degree. F. Upon leaving the pre-heat apparatus, the conveyor is guided in a horizontal path around an arcuate end-turn in which plastic sleeves carried on an underlying turret register with the bottles and are moved vertically in a telescopic assembly over the lower ends of the bottles. From that point of assembly, the sleeves are carried on the bottles as the conveyor moves into a heating apparatus, such as a tunnel oven, wherein the temperature, maintained on the order of 175.degree.-800.degree. F, depending on the composition of the plastic of the sleeves, shrinks the sleeves into a snug fitting, comforming relationship over the bottle surface where assembled.
At low production rates, i.e. conveyor speeds, the sleeve will initially shrink enough on the pre-heated bottles to travel from the turret assembly point to the oven without slipping or otherwise dislocating itself on the bottle. Production speeds over 200 bottles per minute may cause some dislocation of the sleeve members from initial assembly. It is, therefore, one of the important objects of the present invention to provide a method and means to positively secure the sleeve in the initial telescopic assembly position on the base article to prevent dislocation of the sleeve before overall shrinking even at high production speeds, i.e. in excess of 200 B.P.M.
Another object of the invention is to provide such method and apparatus for assuring against dislocation without increasing pre-heat temperature of the base article over values in current practice; or without the use of external handling mechanism engaging the sleeve to hold it in place between the turret assembly point and the shrink oven.